Race walker Gati eyeing another shot at history
National Under-20 10,000m race walk record holder Margaret Gati trains at Singilet in Chepterwai, Nandi County on June 26, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Her coach Robert Ng’isirei said that Gati has finished her programme and hopes that she will be able to attain the qualification time (50 minutes and 40 seconds).
- “We shall be chasing time during the trials and Gati has shown tremendous improvement during her training in the last few months. We expect good results and I know it shall be competitive because there are also other upcoming athletes who want to do well,” said Ng’isirei.
National Under-20 10,000m race walk record holder Margaret Gati is a girl on a mission.
The Form Three student at Cheptonon Secondary School in Chepterwa, Nandi County will be eyeing a slot in the final team during the Athletics Kenya (AK) Under-20 national trials at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi on Friday and Saturday.
The event will see 415 athletes from 14 regions across the country compete ahead of the World Under-20 Championships to be held in Cali, Colombia from August 1 to 6.
Gati emerged eighth during last year's World Under-20 Championships at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi. Despite finishing eighth, she set a new national record of 49:15:12
The 19-year-old is confident that she has come of age and learnt from last year's mistakes.
National Under-20 10,000m race walk record holder Margaret Gati trains at Singilet in Chepterwai, Nandi County on June 26, 2022.
“I’m glad last year I managed to represent Kenya, but I didn’t have more experience and I realized that I paced my competitors who later took advantage and zoomed past me because I was already tired.
I have now realized that I need to start from behind and maybe increase my pace in the last few laps to be able to get a podium position,” said Gati after her training session.
She revealed that her classmate Edinah Jebitok making it to the Kenyan team for next month's World Championships and the Commonwealth Games has given her more reason to work hard.
National Under-20 10,000m race walk record holder Margaret Gati trains at Singilet in Chepterwai, Nandi County on June 26, 2022.
“She (Edinah Jebitok) asked me to work hard so as to be in the team to the World Under-20 Championships. She really motivates me and I hope to follow in her footsteps,” added Gati.
She also said that changing her training base from Kisii County to Nandi County has improved her preparations.
Her coach Robert Ng’isirei said that Gati has finished her programme and hopes that she will be able to attain the qualification time (50 minutes and 40 seconds).
“We shall be chasing time during the trials and Gati has shown tremendous improvement during her training in the last few months. We expect good results and I know it shall be competitive because there are also other upcoming athletes who want to do well,” said Ng’isirei.
AK’s Director for Youth and Development, Barnaba Korir said that they are keen on selecting a team that will help Kenya retain the title it has won in the last two editions.
“The federation is up to the task to make sure athletes are prepared well and we are happy that various regions held their mini-trials and some of the best will be competing in the national trials.
We have athletes who have graduated to the senior level and we are confident that the upcoming ones will be able to fill the gap and form a good team,” said Korir.
